Dirigible lamp



Patented dan. i6, '1923.

GEORGE V. J. CRABB, OE' EAST GRANGE, JERSEY.

DRIGIBLE LAMP.

Application led April 17, 1922. Serial No.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Grenen lV.' J. Ceann, a citizen of the United States, residing` at East Grange, in the county of Essex and State oi New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Llirigible Lamps, oli which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to road vehicles and has particular reference to automobiles or the like adapted to be operated by power and intended for operation for all kinds of roadways.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a lampv or pair of lamps for a selfpropelled vehicle so arranged or constructed that the light from the lamp or lamps will be directed forward so as to illuminate the roadway at all times "directly in front oif the `"ehicle whether the vehicle is moving directlv forward or making a lateral turn in either direction. lt is well understood that with automobile. lights constructed and mounted as usual on the frame of the automobile the light from the lamps is not thrown in the direction most advantageous at the time the vehicle is being steered or about to be steered laterally, and thereby the light .tails to be thrown upon the roadway at the most critical time or place, it being borne in mind that the greatest need for the light is at .such a time as a turn is either being made or contemplated, as when meeting or passing any lvehicle or steering around a chuck hole or other obstacle.

By this invention therefore l provide in a very simple and effective manner lior theI steering laterally of the light or beams oi light in the same direction and to an eX tent forresponding to the lateral steering oli the wheels of the machine, the steering of the beams of light being effected coincident with the usual steering mechanism of the machine and hence without special care or attention on the part or' the driver. t

lllith the foregoing and other objects in view but without restricting the scope of the invention unnecessarily to the specifc. form or' devices illustrated and described herein except as may be required by the scope of the claim, the invention will be noted in detail from the following specific description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a 'front elevation oi an automobile showing my improvement attached thereto.

2 is a` plan view of the same. Referring now .more specifically to the drawings l show as the basis 'for the specific,

improved mechanism a conventional machine comprising a liront axle 10, steering lmucklesll.` wheels 1 2, and a radius bar 1.255 connected pivotally in the usual manner at la to the rear ends of the arms 15 of the steering knuckles. It will of course be understood that the steering mechanism, not shown, for the machine will be attached to this bar 13. l also indicate mud guards 16 for the f'ront wheels, the same including inner walls or shells 17 leading downward and inward toward the chassis 18.

ln this improvement each lamp comprises a casing 19 mounted movably within an annulus or ring shaped frame 20. An axis rod 2l is connected to 'the bottom oll the lamp casing 19 and is journaled in the bottom portion of the annulus 20 where it s provided with a shoulder 22 for supporting the lamp casing and axis rod in such position that the lamp casing is centered in the annulus where it is movable around a vertical aXis, the said axis rod and upper portion of the lamp casing being fitted with a trunnion 23 in alignment with the rod 21 and journaled in the upper portion of the annulus. The annulus is rigid and may be secured to any convenient adjacent part oli the machine such as theshell 17, through a bracket 2l. This description of each lamp and its aunulus is applicable to the other lamp and its annulus, and between the two lamps is extended a tie rod 25 oi" a length agreeal'ile to the type of machine and 'the space between the two annuluses to which the ends of the rod are secured through right and left threads fitted in the hubs 26 secured to the inner sides oit the aunuluses. Hence the tie rod serves not onljv as a stifener or tie rod for the frames but also as a means for the attachmentof the license plate or the like.

27 indicates a bearing formed preferably7 integral with the rigid part of the bracket 2S suitably designed according to the type o'le machine to which it is to be attached, as te the adjacent 'frame 18, the point of attachment being according to the selected positionvfor the rod 21 journaled in the hearing 27 and along which the rod and bearing have relatively free movement to compensate for downward vibration of the vehicle frame and body with respect to the axle. To the lower end oieach rod 2l is rigidly attached an arm 29 extending' parallel to and of equal length with the arm ot the steering device. A rod parallel to the radius bar 13 is pivotally attached to the rear ends of the arms 29, and a link 3l vextends between the rods 13 and 30 tying them together in such a manner that they will always move as a unit. lt follows theretore that when the steering mechanism is operated and the radius bar l?) is moved laterally its ends move around the vertical axes of the steering knuckles, and the bar 3() and arms 29 will be similarly moved around the aXes of the axis rods 2l. It therefore thewheels be steered `l'or a right turn the lamp casings will be moved simultaneously therewith in the same direction, and the light beams will be thrown forward in a direction substantially the same as vthe direction or position of the wheels.

l claim:

The combination with the front steering wheels of an automobile including steeringknuckles having projecting arms and a radius bar pivotally connected to the ends ol1 said arms and mud guards disposed over said steering wheels, said mud guards having inner walls leading downward and inward, of a pair of headlights each comprising a casing and a frame rigidly attached to the adjacent inner wall, an axis rod journaled in each frame and connected to the adjacent casing and around the vertical axis of which axis rod the casing' is movable, a horizontal tie rod having right and left threaded end connections with said frames, au arm connected to the axis rod ot each headlight casing and extending trom said axis rod in the direction corresponding to the adjacent steering knuckle arm, a second rod having its ends pivoted to the otherwise free ends oit the headlight axis rod arms, a shoulder and a trunnion on each axis rod adjacent to its casing for supporting the casing and maintaining` the casing centrally disposed with respect to the trame, and means to connect said second rod to the aforesaid radius bar to compel the rod and bar to operate as a unit.

ln testimony whereof l ailix my signature.

GEORGE WV. J. CRABB. 

